What to think? He blows three ligaments in his knee and eight
months later he embarks on one of the greatest seasons by any
running back in NFL history. He runs 348 times and gained 2097
yards. He averaged a career best 6.0 yards per carry. He
basically was the entirety of the Vikings offense. Now he says
he wants to rush for 2500 yards this year. Why not? He is not
bound by the laws of nature. Peterson does have a tougher
rushing schedule than he did in 2012 but he's far bigger than
his schedule. He's bound to see a decrease this year but he's
already proven everyone wrong before.

Doug Martin - TBB

YEAR

TM

GMS

TYD

TTD

CAR

RYD

YPC

RTD

CAT

CYD

CTD

Huddle Rank: 2

Keeper: 1Auction 10: 23%Auction 12: 27%

2010

2011

2012

TBB

16

1926

12

319

1454

4.6

11

49

472

1

Avg

16

1926

12

319

1454

4.6

11

49

472

1

Proj

TBB

1960

13

1500

12

50

460

1

Martin had a rookie season that harkened back to the glory
days of running backs. He ended as the #2 fantasy back
trailing only Adrian Peterson. He ran for 1454 yards and added
49 catches for 472 yards with a total of 12 touchdowns. He got
better as the season progressed, running for over 120 yards in
five of his final ten games. Martin once again gets one of the
softer rushing schedules and his role as a receiver ensures
that there is never a week that he doesn't turn in good stats.

Jamaal Charles - KCC

YEAR

TM

GMS

TYD

TTD

CAR

RYD

YPC

RTD

CAT

CYD

CTD

Huddle Rank: 3

Keeper: 3Auction 10: 23%Auction 12: 25%

2010

KCC

16

1935

8

230

1467

6.4

5

45

468

3

2011

KCC

2

92

1

12

83

6.9

5

9

1

2012

KCC

16

1745

6

285

1509

5.3

5

35

236

1

Avg

11

1257

5

176

1020

6.2

3

28

238

2

Proj

KCC

1850

12

1350

9

58

500

3

(+Upside) This should be a big year for Charles who is in his prime at
27 years old and now becomes the full-time back in an Andy
Reid offense. Charles was coming off a blown knee last year
and merely racked up 1509 rushing yards and a 5.3 YPC. His
career best reception total was in 2010 when he caught 45
passes for 468 yards and three touchdowns. The WCO offense
installed by Reid and OC Pat Shurmur never failed to throw at
least 90 passes to running backs each year. Just last season,
Philly completed 120 passes to tailbacks. Sean McCoy hauled in
54 and he only played in 12 games. Charles is set for a nice
season and as the offense is installed, it's a fair
expectation that Smith is going to want to dump off to Charles
often in the early stages of the season if not the entire
year. In a reception points league, Charles will be one of the
first backs taken. Make that any kind of league.

Tier 2

Trent Richardson - OAK

YEAR

TM

GMS

TYD

TTD

CAR

RYD

YPC

RTD

CAT

CYD

CTD

Huddle Rank: 4

Keeper: 4Auction 10: 22%Auction 12: 24%

2010

2011

2012

CLE

15

1317

12

267

950

3.6

11

51

367

1

Avg

15

1317

12

267

950

3.6

11

51

367

1

Proj

OAK

1710

13

1220

12

53

490

1

(+Upside) Both Richardson and Doug Martin reversed a decade long trend
that said rookie running backs did not matter. Both ended up
top ten in the league and in the case of Richardson, he did it
despite playing for one of the worst offenses. He ran 267
times for 950 yards and 11 rushing scores and added 51
receptions for 367 yards and one score. Bringing in Norv
Turner to be the offensive coordinator can only mean even
bigger and better things for Richardson. He's already a top
ten back and that's going to remain for many years.

Marshawn Lynch - SEA

YEAR

TM

GMS

TYD

TTD

CAR

RYD

YPC

RTD

CAT

CYD

CTD

Huddle Rank: 5

Keeper: 9Auction 10: 18%Auction 12: 22%

2010

BUF

16

882

6

202

737

3.6

6

22

145

2011

SEA

15

1416

13

285

1204

4.2

12

28

212

1

2012

SEA

16

1786

12

315

1590

5.0

11

23

196

1

Avg

16

1361

10

267

1177

4.3

10

24

184

1

Proj

SEA

1740

12

1500

12

30

240

Lynch turned in a dominating performance last year, rushing
for a career best 1590 yards and averaging 5.0 per run. He
scored 12 touchdowns in all and added 23 receptions for 196
yards. At the age of 27, Lynch is in his absolute prime and in
an offense that loves to turn him into a workhorse. He was a
top 5 back in most fantasy scoring rules and is granted one of
the softest rushing schedules in the league again this year.
He should be a lock for another great year that offers
consistent production every week. His lack of receptions
compared to other elite backs is balanced by his scoring and
heavy load every game.

Ray Rice - FA*

YEAR

TM

GMS

TYD

TTD

CAR

RYD

YPC

RTD

CAT

CYD

CTD

Huddle Rank: 6

Keeper: 5Auction 10: 17%Auction 12: 22%

2010

BAL

16

1776

6

307

1220

4.0

5

63

556

1

2011

BAL

16

2068

15

291

1364

4.7

12

76

704

3

2012

BAL

16

1621

10

257

1143

4.4

9

61

478

1

Avg

16

1822

10

285

1242

4.4

9

67

579

2

Proj

FA*

1830

9

1200

7

63

630

2

Rice was no worse than the #2 overall draft pick in most
fantasy leagues last year. He was coming off a season with
2068 total yards and 15 touchdowns. What happened in 2013 was
less about him and more about Bernard Pierce getting so much
work. Rice had a lower yards per carry (4.7 to 4.4) and yards
per catch (9.3 to 7.8). He still ended up around 5th best or
so for running backs depending on the scoring rules used. His
problem was that he slipped from being a huge difference maker
to being just a really good fantasy running back. The same
offense is in place and the Ravens will want to run no less.
The schedule strength is not good here but it rarely is
anyway. Rice has less upside with Pierce around but still
remains a solid pick - just one that is less likely to
outperform his draft spot. The absence of Anquan Boldin may
end up giving Rice more receptions.

C.J. Spiller - NOS

YEAR

TM

GMS

TYD

TTD

CAR

RYD

YPC

RTD

CAT

CYD

CTD

Huddle Rank: 7

Keeper: 7Auction 10: 17%Auction 12: 20%

2010

BUF

14

440

1

74

283

3.8

24

157

1

2011

BUF

16

830

6

107

561

5.2

4

39

269

2

2012

BUF

16

1703

8

207

1244

6.0

6

43

459

2

Avg

15

991

5

129

696

5.0

3

35

295

2

Proj

NOS

1800

9

1300

7

60

500

2

(+Upside) This should be a banner year for Spiller who finally gets all
the stars aligned. Fred Jackson is 32 years old and coming off
major injuries. He's unlikely to take a prominent role though
he will continue to figure in. Plus Spiller gets a new offense
brought in by HC Doug Marrone and his OC Nathaniel Hackett
both fresh from Syracuse. The offense should be much more of a
fast-paced, no-huddle scheme that should really play into the
speedy, open field ability of Spiller. Last year they allowed
Spiller a heavier load once Jackson was out and he ended with
1244 yards while averaging a full six yards per carry. Add in
his 43 catches for 459 yards and this should be a very nice
season indeed. The Bills also get one of the lighter rushing
schedules. Expect Spiller to be taken in the first round this
summer.

08-08-13 Update: While troublesome that Spiller has never had more than 252
touches in any NFL or college season, the intention is to work
him hard and he'll respond with big fantasy stats if he
remains healthy.

Arian Foster - HOU

YEAR

TM

GMS

TYD

TTD

CAR

RYD

YPC

RTD

CAT

CYD

CTD

Huddle Rank: 8

Keeper: 8Auction 10: 15%Auction 12: 18%

2010

HOU

16

2220

18

327

1616

4.9

16

66

604

2

2011

HOU

13

1841

12

278

1224

4.4

10

53

617

2

2012

HOU

16

1641

17

351

1424

4.1

15

40

217

2

Avg

15

1901

16

319

1421

4.5

14

53

479

2

Proj

HOU

1620

12

1300

12

35

320

(-Risk) The Texans have ranked in the top four in rushing yardage by
running backs for each of the last three years. They have also
never had fewer than 16 rushing scores in that time. That has
a 1:1 relationship to when Foster became a starter. Last
season was not his best so he ended up only ranked #3 in his
position instead of #1. He has never been worse than #3 in any
year as a starter. Where he declined slightly was in catches
with only 40 for 217 yards. His two previous seasons produced
over 600 receiving yards each. The plan is to have Ben Tate
help out more and reduce the incredible workload that Foster
has shouldered but they have said as much the last two
seasons. Foster is as low-risk of a pick as there is in
fantasy football.

07-25-13 Update: Foster opened camp on the active/PUP list because of a calf
strain he suffered in spring practice that still has not
healed after two months. It is a cause for concern for a back
that has been ridden hard and put away wet for three straight
years.

08-18-13 Update: Foster remains out and is taking injections for pain in his
back. There is speculation by HOU reporters already that he
may miss the season opener if not more. He's more risky than
before and not a recommended draft pick. Let someone else take
the risk.

Matt Forte - CHI

YEAR

TM

GMS

TYD

TTD

CAR

RYD

YPC

RTD

CAT

CYD

CTD

Huddle Rank: 9

Keeper: 6Auction 10: 15%Auction 12: 18%

2010

CHI

16

1616

9

237

1069

4.5

6

51

547

3

2011

CHI

12

1487

4

203

997

4.9

3

52

490

1

2012

CHI

15

1434

6

248

1094

4.4

5

44

340

1

Avg

14

1512

6

229

1053

4.6

5

49

459

2

Proj

CHI

1670

11

1150

8

55

520

3

(+Upside) The new west coast offense being ushered in by HC Marc
Trestman and OC Aaron Kromer should be tailor-made for the
skills of Forte. The rushing effort may not change so much but
Trestman has already pointed to Forte's past as a receiver as
a skill set that will be exploited. Installing a new offense
that is predicated on timing and shorter throws should be all
about Forte. He's been consistently a solid fantasy draft
pick, especially in reception point leagues. This new offense
has the potential to yield Forte's best fantasy season yet.

LeSean McCoy - BUF

YEAR

TM

GMS

TYD

TTD

CAR

RYD

YPC

RTD

CAT

CYD

CTD

Huddle Rank: 10

Keeper: 10Auction 10: 13%Auction 12: 16%

2010

PHI

15

1672

9

207

1080

5.2

7

78

592

2

2011

PHI

15

1624

20

273

1309

4.8

17

48

315

3

2012

PHI

12

1213

5

200

840

4.2

2

54

373

3

Avg

14

1503

11

227

1076

4.7

9

60

427

3

Proj

BUF

1540

12

1210

10

34

330

2

(+Upside) McCoy certainly looks more attractive this year in a high-
powered offense (on paper anyway) that wants to seriously
increase the number of plays which only means good things in
fantasy football. How this plays out with McCoy is not 100%
certain. He may lose a few of the 60+ receptions he received
each year in Andy Reid's west coast offense. Not that it is
1:1 by any means, but at Oregon the lead back never had more
than 20 receptions in any of his four seasons (Kenjon Barner).
This offense will seek to increase the amount of rushes at
least incrementally and possibly significantly. HC Chip
Kelly's offense averaged 39 carries per game last year. That
is not to say Kelly won't use what works best, but heavier
workload for McCoy may not play out well. He has missed one to
three games per season since 2009 and he has never carries
more than 273 times in a year. In fact, he has only 2011
when he ran more than 207 times. While there are
unknowns and some concerns, McCoy in this offense should be
very productive as long as he remains healthy. Taking McCoy
and doubling down with Bryce Brown could end up a very strong
play likely to exceed their draft slots. One caveat here - the
Eagles have the toughest rushing schedule in the league this
year. That will have some effect.